ISTANBUL: Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said that his party would stand in support of women's efforts to improve women's rights in the country. The head of the Republican People's Party (CHP) said in an address on Tuesday that women's empowerment would be at the center of any future campaigns. “I promise all women in Turkey. They will find a greater place in politics and will become a power in politics. In Turkey, there are still 4 million women who cannot read or write,” he began. “There is not one female governor in 81 provinces. There are 439 deputy governors all across Turkey, but only 10 of them are women. Only 15 of 10,852 district governors are women,” he stated. The CHP chairman said his remarks were to mark the anniversary of the granting of suffrage to women, which Turkey observed on Dec. 5. “Many women receive a higher education. But how come not even one of them can become a governor? Is a woman who governs her house incapable of governing a province?” Kılıçdaroğlu asked. In Turkey, women routinely complain that they are not offered top positions, with males occupying almost all critical posts. The CHP leader also recalled that thousands of women are beaten and even killed by their husbands every year. “It is women who get fired at times of economic crises. But there is a saying that you are not given rights but you take them. Women will take their rights. They will learn to take their rights. They will learn to fight for their rights,” he stated. He also advised women to join forces and raise their voice for their rights. “I promise them. The CHP will stand by women in their protests.” The CHP leader also spoke about recent claims that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan owns eights secret Swiss bank accounts. “I find the claims serious. But the prime minister has not made any illuminating explanation about such serious claims,” he said. The comments, which were reported by US diplomats in confidential documents, were released last week by whistleblower website WikiLeaks. Erdoğan has denied the claims. “What should you [the prime minister] do? You should apply to Swiss banks with your lawyer and ask for documents [that will show that the prime minister does not have an account there]. Why do we want this? Because your financial background is not clean at all,” Kılıçdaroğlu stated. BM
